With their spinners leaking 85 runs in nine overs on a good batting track, Kolkata Knight Riders opener Robin Uthappa on Saturday conceded that they misread the Feroz Shah Kotla pitch, which usually is slower.
KKR fielded Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Brad Hogg but they could not make any impression against Delhi Daredevils batsmen.
"Kotla generally has a tag of slow track, but it was a really good track. Flat and hard. The ball skidded off and nicely came on to bat. Our spinners were nullified today. But spinners are our strength and the idea was to back our strength," Uthappa, who was the top scorer for KKR with his 72-run knock, said at the post-match press conference.
From 32-3 in 5 overs, Delhi posted a challenging 186-8 and Uthappa said his side let the Daredevils post a formidable score on board.
"With little more discipline, we could have restricted them to less than 160. We took our foot off pedal after getting the first three wickets and bowled some rank bad balls," he said.
Asked if Daredevils captain Zaheer still had the same zip that he had before retirement, Uthappa who faced him while opening the KKR innings replied in affirmative.
"Zak bowled as well as he has always done. He is a very cunning bowler. He does not give you much. It's tough to go on offensive against him. He still has that zip but surely that pace has dropped. But it still came nicely on to bat," he said.
Uthappa also defended team's decision to send Piyush Chawla at number three, saying "he is not dud with the bat". "He has done well in first-class cricket. Since Manish Pandey is not there, it gives us this luxury of trying these things," he said.
Uthappa said death bowling was a concern for them but they will take a lot of positives from the game.
He stressed that winning the away game against Royal Challengers Bangalore will give them momentum going back to Eden Gardens.
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